1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an auto loader firearm accessory, and in particular to a multiple tube magazine extension that is removably attached to a variety of existing firearms including those with shotgun tube magazines.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is desirable in some applications to be able to fire more rounds than what can be presently contained in standard firearms including shotguns. For instance, military, police and competitive sport shooters may desire a shotgun capable of firing many rounds before the need to reload. Many attempts have been made over the years to satisfactorily fill this need. Some examples follow.
U.S. Pat. No. (hereafter “USPN”) 6,877,265 to Hajjar et al. is entitled System and Method for Increased Magazine Capacity for a Firearm. This patent shows an actuator 33 in FIG. 8. The actuator is taught to be operably connected to a trigger assembly. A magazine is disclosed having a plurality of tubes axisymmetric about a longitudinal axis. A retainer 6 in FIGS. 2 and 4a is shown for impeding release of a cartridge from an open end of a tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,865,840 to Kanyuck et al. is entitled Gun Loading Device. This patent shows a loading device for use with muzzle loaded firearms. A plunger is shown for sequentially pushing charges of powder in the bores through a discharge opening in the base member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,575 to Gajdica is entitled Rotary Magazine for Firearms. This patent discloses a rotary feed magazine for a pump action shotgun. The magazine has chambers that can be rotated into alignment with the receiver chamber. The magazine is taught to replace the conventional pump action.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,221 to Ozols is entitled Shotgun with Interchangeable Magazine. This patent shows an interchangeable magazine with a cylindrical tubular portion for receiving shotgun shells. The magazine is removably attached to the shotgun. A mounting member is coupled to a closed end of the magazine. A rod portion is received through an aperture through the closed end of the magazine to facilitate mounting of the magazine to the shotgun.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,395 to Wagner is entitled Increased Capacity Magazine for Firearm. This patent shows a housing. A rotating mechanism including tubes is taught to be within the housing. The housing has a center tubular housing, a forward housing and a rear housing. The rear housing has an opening in alignment with the loading port of the shotgun. The patent shows an indexing mechanism for indexing each shell tube, and has a rotation latch pivotally mounted to the rear housing. A follower automatically releases the rotation latch to allow a revolving mechanism to advance the next shell tube when a shell tube is empty.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,399,481 to Giorgini is entitled Detachable Charger for Automatic Shotguns. This patent discloses its main purpose is for providing a detachable and exchangeable charger permitting use of chargers loaded with cartridges of different types and power. The detachable charger is taught to be received within or inserted into the fixed tube on the gun.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,420,471 to Carter is entitled Multimagazine Self Locking Rifle. This patent teaches that the ordinary magazine is dispensed with and the invention is used instead. Looking at FIG. 7 of the patent, a non rotating plate 19′ is shown. The plate is provided with rearwardly extending spaced ears 21, which embrace sides of the breech tube 6. The plate 19′ has a cartridge receiving opening 24 which aligns with the openings in the breech tube so as to permit the cartridges to be fed into the tube.
None of these patents show an accessory that is removably connectable to the end of a standard shotgun tube magazine.
None of these patents show an adapter that allows for a single design to be utilized with many existing shotguns without making permanent alterations to the shotgun. Specifically, none of these references show an adapter with an adjustable length.
None of these references show a pin projectable and retractably in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the firearm barrel.
Thus there exists a need for an auto loader firearm accessory that solves these and other problems.